Seasons MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON RECAP 1895 December 31, 1895January 28, 2020 Seasons Season Recap: 1895 League Champion: Baltimore Orioles Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest) January 3, 1885 The recently-disbanded Cleveland Blues team of the National League releases its players. January 6, 1885 1885 – Millionaire Henry Lucas purchases the Cleveland Blues and plans to fill the vacancy in the National League with his own St. Louis Maroons. January 10, 1885 At a National League meeting, St. Louis is admitted, Cleveland’s registration is formally accepted leaving the league with 8 teams. January 10, 1885 The New York Clipper reports that Paul Hines, a Providence Grays outfielder had been challenged to catch a ball dropped from the top of the Washington Monument January 15, 1885 At a Union Association meeting held in Milwaukee, WI, only two clubs show up, the Milwaukee Grays and the Kansas City Unions. It is decided to disband the league after only one season. January 16, 1885 The Brooklyn Grays sign several players from the defunct Cleveland Blues club January 17, 1885 The New York Clipper reports that Paul Hines has canceled his Washington Monument ball-drop exhibition January 20, 1885 1885 – The American Association is reorganized, with clubs from St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, Louisville, New York and Baltimore. February 12, 1885 Western League is officially formed February 22, 1885 Boston Beaneaters P Charlie Buffinton invents a baseball “roller skate” March 15, 1885 1885 – A lower court in New York, NY decides that playing baseball on Sunday is a crime. This decision will be overturned, but it will be appealed. March 25, 1885 1885 – A new rule is adopted stating that the pitcher must “do all his throwing to bases before he has taken his stride as if to pitch ball.” April 1, 1885 1885 Chicago White Stockings April 18, 1885 At an NL meeting‚ the 5 men who jumped the NL to sign with the UA in 1884 (including John Day‚ Charlie Sweeney‚ Dupee Shaw‚ and Jim McCormick) are reinstated with fines of $1‚000. May 16, 1885 5/16/1885: Tip O’Neill of St. Louis Browns (AA) homered in the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles. The game, played in St. Louis, was rained out. June 4, 1885 1885 – Hardie Henderson‚ pitching for Baltimore‚ is 5 for 5 while beating Cincinnati‚ 12 – 1. July 2, 1885 Sam Thompson cames of the ladder to homer in his first game July 3, 1885 Providence P Jim McCormick beats St. Louis 3-2 for his 200th career victory. August 8, 1885 1885 – All games are canceled in New York City today because of General Ulysses S. Grant’s funeral. August 15, 1885 Athletics manager Lon Knight is fired and temporarily replaced by 1B Harry Stovey; former Athletics manager Charlie Mason is eventually hired as his replacement. September 1, 1885 1885 – Detroit C Charlie Bennett hits a grand slam in the 1st inning‚ leading Detroit to an 8 – 3 victory over the New York Giants. Only two other grand slams are hit this year‚ one by Dave Orr (New York) and one by Tom Brown (Pittsburgh). September 28, 1885 Philadelphia’s Harry Stovey hits his AA-leading 13th HR off Pittsburgh’s John Hofford. This is also Stovey’s 51st career HR‚ which is the current ML record. November 19, 1885 1885 – At a National League meeting, it is decided that the Buffalo Bisons “Big Four” (Dan Brouthers, Hardy Richardson, Jack Rowe and Deacon White) can play for the Detroit Wolverines next season. November 28, 1885 1885 – Former National League President Arthur Soden buys the Providence franchise and players for $6,000. December 4, 1885 1885 – The National League Metropolitans franchise is sold to millionaire Erastus Wiman. The Metropolitan Exhibition Company receives $25,000 for the transaction. December 8, 1885 1885 – At an American Association meeting in Philadelphia, the Metropolitan club is removed from the Association, and the National club of Washington is admitted. By court order, the Metropolitans will be readmitted. December 18, 1885 The Washington Nationals are admitted to the National League, in place of Providence December 20, 1885 1885 – The St. Louis Maroons announce that Jerry Denny, Dude Esterbrook, Paul Hines, and George Myers are to play for them in 1886. Denny and Myers do so, but Esterbrook stays with the Giants and Hines goes to the newly-formed Washington Nationals. December 24, 1885 1885 – The American Association champions St. Louis Browns agree to sell the reserve rights of infielder Sam Barkley to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for $1,000. December 24, 1885 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON RECAP 1885 December 28, 1885 The American Association officially admits the New York Metropolitans club, having been forced by the courts to do so.
